Shoe-strap cutting and folding machine.



I v. P. BUCK.

SHOE STRAP CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 00124.,1907. RENEWED FEB. 15, 1909.

918,958 Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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SHOE $TRAP GUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION TILED 00124, 1907. RENEWED FEB. 15, 1909.

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V. P. BUCK. snon STRAP ans-mm AND ronnm'e moms. APPLICATION FILED; 60124, 1907-; RENEWED FEB. 15, 1909. 918,958, Patented Apr. 20,1909.

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UNITED: STATESPATENT ()FFICE.

vEn'rnUnE-r. Buck, oFBos'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-STRAP ou'r'r me AND FOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed October 24, 1907, Serial No. 398,925; .Benewed February 15, 1909. Serial No. 478,042.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, VERTRUDE I. BUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of SuffollgState of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in ShoeaStrap Cutting and Folding Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. therein to the accompanyingdrawings. The straps which are attached to the uppers of boots and shoes for use in pulling the latter upon thefeet of the wearer are produced in the form of continuouswebbing,

which is severed by transverse cuts into lengths suitable, when folded upon themselves so as to bring opposite ends together, for use as straps. -Usually, each webbing is produced with the name of the manufacturer of the boots or shoes, or some design, name, or other trademark or inscription, repeated thereon at intervals corresponding with the lengths of the straps before being folded, and with transverse lines between successive names, designs, or inscriptions to indicate the places at which the webbing is to be severed in separating the straps from one another.

The work of severing the webbing into lengths suitable for straps, and doubling or folding the said lengths upon themselves, is performed in many cases by automatic machines, which latter also are contrived. and constructed to apply protective wrappings of paper to the respective lengths prior to the severance and folding. Instances of such machines are shown and described in the United States Patent to William C. Rand, No. 594,181, dated November 23, 1897, and that to myself, No. 763,148, dated June 21, 1904.

The machines of the patents just mentioned are furnished with feed-rolls which automatically are rotated intermittingly to advance the leading end of the webbing to the extent of a strap-length at each feed-movement. By such advance, the portion of webbing extendingf-rom the feed-rolls, at the delivery side of the latter, is moved between the cutters and beyond the same, into position between the folding blade and the pair of rolls between whichthe said blade in its movement pushes the webbing in a doubled state. The distance between the cutters and the folding point (such point being repmately one-half of the length of an extended strap. A machine is built to suit a given length of strap, but in practice the strap-Sew tions of the strips of webbing which are received to beoperated upon are not always of.

thelength for which such machine is con- .structed,and the strap-sectionsof one strip do not always agree in length with those of a different strip.

When a machine is at work, the attendant observes closely the strip of webbing which is being operated upon therein, in order to forestall error in the presentation of the successive strap-lengths to the cutters and fold ing devices. For the purpose of enabling a remedial adjustment of the strip of webbing to be effected when necessary during the working of the machine, without arresting or retarding theregular action of the feedrolls and other parts, I provided the supplemental devices of my prior patent for operating the feed-rolls by hand. With the aid of the said devices the attendant, during the dwell of the feed-rolls following an automatic feed-movement, and while the severing and folding of the strap-length thereby fed to the severing and folding devices are being performed, rotates the feed-rolls by hand and advances the strip of webbing through them sufficiently to insure that by the next automatic feed-movement the following transverse mark for severance shall be presented at the cutting point in the machine, so that the severing of the next strap-length Shall be effected at the correct place and the strap then severed shall have the proper length. Thus, while one strap-length is being severed and folded, and whilethe automatic actuating mechanism of the feed-rolls is at rest, the operator turns the feed-rolls by hand to advance the strip of webbing to the extent which may be necessary to secure the proper length in the case of the strap-section next to be automatically fed and severed. It will be obvious that if the strap-sections of a given strip of webbing which is being operof feed-movement is varied by adjusting the feed-rolls by hand in the manner w iich has been explained, the increase in the extent of the advance of the leading end of the webbing is all represented by an increase of exactly the same amount in the length of the portion of webbing which projects beyond the folding point. When the folding is effected, this portion of the folded strap is correspondingly longer than the other portion thereof.

One general object of my invention is to provide means for enabling a machine of the class aforesaid to be adjusted, when re quired, so that the length of the automatic feed movement shall correspond with the length ofthe strap-sections of a given strip of webbing, and so as thereb to obviate the necessity for hand-adjustment for every succeeding strap-section.

Another general object thereof is to provide means for enabling the distance between the cutting point and the folding point to be varied to suit variation in the length of the feed-movement.

My invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings, in which latter, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine containing such embodiment. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the said machine. Fig. 3 is a plan thereof. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the adjustable folding mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of the actuating devices of the feed-rolls.

Having reference to the drawings,at 1 is the bed-plate of the machine-frame, and at 2, 3, are front and rear standards rising from the said bed-plate, and at 4; is a vertical web extending rearwardly from the standard 3 and connected with the latter and with. the bed-plate.

At 5, Figs. 1 and 2, is a small housing at the top of the standards 2, 3, the said housing serving for. the support of the feed-rolls 6, 7.

At 8, 9, Fig. 5, are spur-gears which are fixedly connected to the respective feed-rolls and interrneshing with each other to cause the feed-rolls to turn in unison.

At 10 is a spur-gear which meshes with the spur-gear 9, at 11 a spur-pinion concentric with gear 10, and at 12 a pawl-and-ratchet clutch device intermediate the said spur-gear 10 and spur-pinion 11 and essentially the same as the like devices in the prior patents aforesaid.

At 13 is a gear-sector, engaging with spurpinion 11 and pivoted to the lug 14L rising from bed-plate 1. Gear-sector 13 is radially slotted at 15, Fig. 1, and 16 is a block work ing in the slot and mounted upon a crank-pin 17 carried by the disk 18 upon the short shaft 19, the latter being mounted in 'a bearing 3 which is provided in a standard 20 rising from the bed-plate 1, and being rotated by bevel-gears 21, 22, from an actuating shaft 23 which is mounted in bearings provided in connection with web 4 and a standard 24 rising from the bed-plate 1. As the disk 18 and crank pin 17 are caused, to rotate through the described driving connection with shaft 23 the sector is vibrated, and its teeth by their engagement with those of the spur-pinion 11 serve to impart an oscillating movement to the latter, consequently eommunicating through the pawl-aml-ratchet intermittent clutch devices an intermittent feeding motion to the feed-rolls. To provide for varying the length of the feed-rolls, the crank-pin is made adjustable toward and from the center of the disk 18 by mounting the said crank-pin upon a block occupying a radial slot 25 in the said disk, an adjustingscrew 26 being provided in connection with the said block for convenience in moving the same in or out to the required extent, and the block being clamped in position after ad justment to guard against accidental loss of adjustment by means of a nut 27 and washer 28 applied to a threaded stem 29 projecting from the block, the said washer being compressed against one side of the disk by means of the said nut' 30, 31, are side-pieces which are applied, respectively, to the standards 2, 3, respectively, and extend parallel with each other transversely across the machine.

At 32, Fig. 3, is a plate which is secured between the said side-pieces 30, 31, at the supply side of the feeding rolls, and upon which the strip of webbing rests in advance of the said rolls.

At 33 is a confining strip, extemling across the plate 32, above the latter and resting upon spacing-blocks 34, 31 The said strip and blocks are held in place by means of clamping screws 35, 35, which pass through holes in the ends of the strip, and also through holes in the said blocks, the screw-threaded stems of the said screws entering threaded holes which are tapped in the tops of the sidepieces 30, 31. The blocks 34, 34-, constitute edge-guides for the strip of webbing as it advances to the feed-rolls. The said blocks are shaped like eccentrics, and by turning them about the scews, after the latter have been loosened, they may be adjusted to increase. or decrease the distance between their edges where the webbing passes between them, or to shift the path of the webbing slightly toward one side or the other, after which the blocks may be fixed in their new positions by tightening up the screws again.

At 36, 36, are converging side-guides (see, more particularly, Fig. 3) closely adjacent the entrance between the feed-rolls.

At 37 is a fixed cutter-blade which is secured to standard 3 by means of screws 38, 38, Figs. 2 and 3, with its working edge extending across the path of the webbing at the delivery side of the feed-rolls, and at 39 At 41 is a contracting spiral spring having one end thereof connected to a fixed part 42 rising from side-piece 3st the supply-sidebf the feed-rolls, and the other end thereofcon nected with the movable cutter blade, the tension of the said'spring operating to hold the working edge of the. movable cutter-- blade pressed closely against the working edge ofthe fixed cutter-blade.- V

At 43, Figs. 1 and 2, is a link having its upper end connected with the movable outter-blade 39 and its lower endhconnected with a swinging lever 44 which is pivoted at 45, Fig. 3, to the web 4 and provided with a pin or roll working in thegroove of a camdisk 46 fast upon shaft 23. By the rotation of the said shaft and cam-disk, movement is transmitted through the lever and link to the movable cutter-blade and thereby at the proper times in the working of the machine the movable cutter-blade is actuated to sever the Webbing.

At 47, 47, are sideuides rising from the side-pieces 30, 31, at the delivery-side of the cutters, and between which the advancing end of the webbing enters after passing the said cutters.

At 471, 471, Fig. 4, are lates located between such side-guides ant upon which the webbing slides in being advanced.

At 48 is the folding-blade, arranged to pass in its descent through an opening between the proximate ends of the said plates, and at 49 is the rocker by which the foldingblade is carried, the saidrocker being mounted upon a supporting pivot 50, Fig. and connected by a link 51 to a lever 52 which is mounted upon a pivot 53 and provided with a pin working in a cam-groove in one side of gear-wheel 54. The latter is mounted upon a supporting stud 55, and has fast therewith a bevel-gear 56 meshingwith a bevel-gear 57 on a shaft 58 (Figs. 2 and 3) whichis supported in bearings that are provided in web 4 and in a stand 59. Shaft 58 has fast thereon a spur-gear 60 which meshes witha carrier spur-gear 61, the latter being mounted upon web 4 and inturn meshing with a spurgear 62'fast upon shaft 23. Through the gearing 62, 61, and 60, the shaft 58 is revolvedfrom shaft 23 when the latter is turned, and through the bevel-gearing 57, 56, the gear 54 is rotated from said shaft 58 and caused by means of its cam-groove to trans,- mit movementthrough lever 52 and link 51 to rocker 49 so as toactuate the foldingblade 48 at the proper times in the working of the machine.

At 63, 64, (see, more particularly, Figs. 3

toward and from t and 4) are the folding-rolls, between which the middle portion of the severed stra is pushed by the lower end of the folding-bFde in the descent of the latter, and by the continned rotation of which the folding of the strap is completed and the folded strap is discharged downward.

At'65, '66, are the spur-pinions by which the said folding-rolls are caused to rotate in unison, and at 67, Figs. 2 and 3, is a spurpinion fast upon one journal of feed-roll 63 and meshing with the s ur-gear 54, so that movement is transmittec from the last-mentioned gear to the folding-rolls to rotate the latter.

In conformity with my invention, 1 provide means for effecting relative adjustment between the cutters and the folding devices, so that the distance between them may be varied at will. Through such adjustment, 1am enabled to provide for doubling or folding the strap upon itself at any predetermined point between its ends, and also am enabled, after adjustment of the feed-mechanism to secure a feeding movement corresponding in length with the length of the respective strap-sections in a given stri of webbing, to cause the fold to take place 0 ose to the middle of the length of the severed strap.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a slide 68, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, is mounted between the side-pieces 30, 31 which latter are slotted horizontally at 69, Fig. 1, and 70,Fig. 2, to receive laterally-projecting portions 71, Fig. 1, and 72, Fig. 2, of the slide. This slide is movable upon and with relation to the sideieces 30, 31, horizontally lie feed-rolls and. cutters. The feed-rolls 63, 64, are mounted upon the said slide, and the pivot 50 of the rocker 49 carryingthe folding-blade 48 also is carried by the slide, so that when the slide is adjusted in the direction just mentioned the folding devices and folding ioint are shifted or adjusted nearer to or arther from the cutters.

In order to maintain the operating devices for the folding-blade and feed-rolls in proper relation therewith in all adjustments of the folding devices, the pivot 53 (Fig. 2) of the actuating lever 52, and the stud 55 on which the connected spur-gear 54 and bevel-gear 56 are mounted, are also carried by the slide. In order to enable drivin relations between bevel-gear 56 (Fig. 2) an the bevel-gear 57 through which power is transmitted to the former to be maintained, the said bevelgear 57 is splined to its supporting and actuating shaft 58, as indicated in Fig. 2, so as to compel it to turn in unison with such shaft while leaving it capable of movement along the shaft, and is engaged with the bearingportion of support 59, which is carried by the slide, in well-known manner causing the bevel-gear to accompany the slide in the adjustment of the latter.

At 73 is an adjusting-screw working in a screw-threaded hole that is tapped througlji a piece 74 fixed between the outer ends of side-pieces 30, 31, and engaging by its inner end with the outer end of the slide. This adjusting-screw provides for conveniently effecting the desired adjustment of the slide to vary the relative distance between the severing point and folding point.

At 75 is a second adjusting screw, working through a threaded hole extending lengthwise through the adjusting-screw 74 for the slide, this second adjusting-screw being engaged at its inner end with the expanding spiral spring 7 6 by which the folding-rolls 63, 64, are pressed together, and serving as a means of securing the tension of said spring which is necessary to produce the required pressure of the rolls upon the doubled strap in passing downward between the rolls.

At '78 is a bunching-trough beneath the folding devices, into which the folded strap descends from the rolls 63, 64, folded portion downward.

At 79, Fig. 1, is a reciprocating pusher working within the said trough, and at is a sliding weight, also within the trough. The strap in descending enters between the weight and pusher, and by the movement of the latter is pressed outward toward the sliding weight 80, beyond the folding point and out of the way of the next succeeding folded strap as the latter falls from the folding rolls. To each side wall of the trough a springdatch 81, Figs. 1 and 2, is applied. The acting extremity of each latch projects through a slot 82 in the corresponding sidewall, into position to engage with the folded strap that has just been advanced by the pusher, the two spring-latches operating to hold the said strap from following the pusher as the latter moves back to its starting position. As the folded straps increase in number within the trough, the pressure that is applied to the same by the pusher operates to push the sliding weight ahead of them outward along the trough. The trough 78 is carried by the slide. For the actuation of the reciprocating pusher it has connected therewith a rod, 83, Figs. 2 and 3, projecting through a slot 84, Fig. 2, in the rear wall of the trough, and extending outward in the direction of the length of the trough through a guide 85, which is fixed to the said wall. This rod has pivoted to it one end of a link, 86, having its other end pivoted to a cranle pin, 87, carried by a spur-gear, 88, which is mounted by means of supporting screw, 89, upon the slide, and rotated through its engagement with the spur-gear 54.

W hat is claimed as the invention is 1. In a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with the web-cutting and strap-folding devices, and devices for feeding the strip of webbing past the said cutting devices directly to the folding point, of means for adjusting the folding point relative to thc cutting-point, to suit variations in the len th of the severed strapscction.

2. In a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with the web-cutting and strap-folding devices, and devices for feeding the strip of webbing past the cutting devices directly to the folding point, of means for adjusting the length of the feed-movement, and means *for adjusting the folding point relative to the cutting-point to suit variations in the length of the severed strap-sectioi'i.

3. In. a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with means to advance the webbing a strap length, a web-cutter, a reciprocating folding blade, and folding rolls which cooperate with said blade, of support in common for the said blade and rolls, adjustable to vary the distance between the folding point and the severing point.

4. In a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with means to advance the webbing a straplength, means to adjust the length of feed, a web-cutter, strap-folding devices, and a trough which receives the folded strap, of a carriage supporting the folding devices and trough and adjustable to vary the distance between the folding point and the severing point.

5. In a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with means to advance the webbing a straplength, means to adjust the length of feed, a webcutter, strap-folding devices, a trough which receives the folded straps, and a reciprocating strap-packer for the straps within the said trough, of a carriage supporting the folding devices and trough and adjustable to vary the distance between folding point and severing point, and motiontransmitting connections for the said foldcarriage.

6. In a machine for cutting and folding straps for boots and shoes, the combination with the web-cutting and strap-folding dcwebbing past the cutting devices directly to the folding point, of means for :n'ljusting the distance between cutting-point and folding-point.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

VERIRITDE l BUCK. Witnesses:

CHAs. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. Annnnson.

ing devices and packer carried by the said vices, and devices for feeding the strip of 

